Isabella Arless
by Kare Bear 4 13 95
Summary: Izzy attends the Pennsylvania House of Night. Her House hears about what's going on in Tulsa, but they can only watch from affar. Until things get too hard to handle, and members from other Houses are sent to Tulsa. Better than summary. OC characters R&R!
1. Isabella Arless

1I pulled on the lock for at least the third time. It refused to open.

_Ugh, this day completely sucks._ I thought. I looked around. The hall was nearly empty. Everyone _else_ had gotten their lockers open, their books out, and their butts out of the school. I pounded my fist against my locker.

_Lyrissa was always able to open my locker, _I thought. _No, Lyrissa turned her back on me. She got Marked and now she's becoming a stupid, bloodsucking monster. She's gone, she's at the House of Night. That's it._ But I was wrong, and I knew it. Lyrissa was still my friend, I was the one who'd turned on her just a few months ago. Man, I wish I wouldn't have been so mean to her when she got Marked. The sad, sad truth was, I really missed Rissa. She'd been my best friend, she understood me. My Twin was gone now, I guess. The nearest House of Night was in Milford, Pennsylvania, and I was stuck in New York.

I decided it wasn't overly important that I put my unneeded books in my locker, my bag wasn't _that_ heavy. I turned to leave the school, contemplating wether I should go to visit my old friend. I needed to apologize. I'd really hurt Lyrissa. The only problem was, would she forgive me? Did she even remember me? I'd heard somewhere that when a fledgling is turning into a vampyre, he...or she, starts losing her memories of her human life.

Or maybe she'd been trying to forget me.

No, I couldn't think that way. Rissa and I had been friends since the 6th grade, she wouldn't just turn on me because I freaked out that day. It was a lot to take in, and I was hurt that she'd have to leave, and scared that she wouldn't need me anymore. I just didn't want her to change, I couldn't lose her.

I made up my mind to drive to Pennsylvania tonight and visit my friend. She wouldn't just reject me that way, Lyrissa was understanding, she'd give me a chance to explain.

I made my way out of the school and toward the parking lot. Once there, I rushed to my baby. My baby being a little, sky-blue V.W. Bug. I got into the driver's seat.

As soon as I got home I found my best friend's phone number, and called her. She answered on the third ring.

"Izzy?" She asked in a sleepy, yet shocked voice.

"Yeah...it's me. I was wondering –" I began, before she cut me off, sounding completely awake now.

"Ohmygoddess I haven't spoken to you in so long, not since I was Marked! I'm so glad you –" She stopped. We stayed on the phone in complete silence for what seemed like hours, but was probably just an awkward minute or two.

"Lyrissa?" I asked, wondering what she was thinking.

"Why did you call me?" She asked. Her tone was an ice pick through my heart. She hadn't gotten over the last time we'd spoken.

"I called because..." Why had I called her? Ugh, I knew I shouldn't have called before I visited, I should have gone and given her no choice but to hear me out. " I called because I was thinking about you today, Rissa. I wanted to apologize to you. I miss you, and it was completely wrong of me to freak out on you like that." Silence. I checked the face of the phone to make sure she hadn't hung up on me.

1. Rissa

Alright, she was still on the line.

"You're right. That was really messed up, Twin, that hurt a lot. It was hard enough for me to be becoming this monster without you freaking out and deserting me. When I got home that night, I had to endure the same thing from my family, who, by the way, called me as soon as I got to the House. You haven't called me in months, Isabella." Her tone was no longer ice, but just plain hateful. Her use of my full name was something I hadn't expected. She'd never, not since we met, called me Isabella. I was always "Izzy" or "Twin." Never Isabella. Then again, I'd never called her a freak, and run out of her life for 6 months.

"I know...I never meant to do that," I managed to say while holding back 6 months of tears.

"Then explain to me why you did, Isabella." She shot at me.

I couldn't hold it in anymore, I was crying. Bawling my eyes out. I let out every tear I'd been building up in my unconscious mind since Rissa had been Marked. I'd thought of every moment I'd been without her, and every moment I thought about it, it hurt me, and with each new pain, a hundred tears were shed.

"You abandoned me," She said, her tone softened. "At the moment I needed you most, Bella, you abandoned me. I'd felt like I was dying, my world was being ripped apart, and everything I knew was changing, and the one person I thought I could count on to help me through these times looked at me like I was a monster. She was disgusted in me. She called me a freak, and _ran away._ That ruined me, Izzy." I'd calmed down a bit, and the dramatic tears had subsided to steady streaks of water down my cheek.

"It was hard for me too, Rissa. You were always my best friend. The only person who I could always count on, and now you were going to Change into something I couldn't understand. And, it'd be different if you'd been Changing here, but you weren't. You had to go to the House of Night, you had to leave me and move to Pennsylvania. I didn't mean to call you a freak. I didn't mean to ignore you for so long, but it hurt. I needed to protect myself from hurting, and that was easiest if I...if I acted like didn't care. As if it were _better_ for me instead of worse..." I was surprised at the fact that I was able to choke that out between little sobs and hiccups that were now escaping my mouth.

Rissa remained silent for a long while. When she finally did speak, it was with words I hadn't expected to hear from her. "Come and visit me, Bella. I want to talk to you in person." She sounded empty and distant, like she hadn't been my friend for 6 years.

I was going to respond and tell her that I had planned on going there anyway, but she'd hung up on me.

I got back into my little blue bug and set off toward the house of night.


	2. The Marking

1When I arrived in Milford, Pennsylvania, I couldn't help but feel relieved. I was tired, really, really tired. I hadn't slept hardly at all last night, and then I'd been in school all day. I finally found the House of Night. I'd brought a few of my things with me; an outfit or two...or maybe like 4. She wouldn't just talk to me for a few minutes and then have me drive back to New York, I'd be staying a little while, and getting some rest.

When I got to the House of Night, it was obvious. No other place would have a wall like that. It was made of what looked like black marble, and it wrapped completely around the school, standing about 5 feet tall. I figured the wall was more for keeping the mystery of the place than to keep people out. I parked my little blue bug and walked through the large, ornately decorated black steel gate.

My jaw immediately flopped open. I must have looked like a moron, standing there on the stone pathway gawking at the school, but I couldn't help it, the place was beautiful. The school was made of the same black marble as the wall, and looked more like a castle than a school. It was a tall building, and wide. The building looked to be the shape of a star, which I thought was excellent designing, and the five corners standing taller than the rest as circular towers. The building itself was extremely tall as well, around 7 or 8 stories. The main building was smack in the middle of a rather large property.

_That must be where all the classrooms and auditoriums and stuff are..._ I thought.

Around the main building were several other buildings, not as tall and not as extravagant, but still nice. Those mst be the girls' and boys' dorms, and other buildings that they use for other activities...do vampyres swim? Maybe they have a pool here...

I walked into the star-shaped building. Thank goodness, there was a desk right in front with a beautiful woman sitting behind it. She had blue Marks framing her face on either side of the crescent moon stationed in the middle of her forehead. The Mark looked to me like butterflies interlocking wings around her face. I walked over to her.

"Hello, do you need help with anything?" She asked. She was really sweet and had a cheery voice.

"Yes, I'm looking for a student here, her name's Lyrissa De Luca. She was Marked 6 months ago." I said, hoping I didn't sound like a betraying, deceitful witch, because I sure as hell felt like one.

The woman typed something into her computer.

"Yes...we have a Lyrissa here...may I ask what business you have with her? Sorry, but it's required that we ask...due to some..._complications_ we've been having at another House." She was so sincere. What would I tell her? _You see, when she got Marked, I called her a freak and ran away from her. I haven't spoken to her in almost half a year, and it took me that long to realize I miss her and that I should apologize. So, I called her and we had a really emotional talk and she asked me to come here so we could speak in person, don't worry though, it's not like we're going to kill each other or anything rash like that._ No, that definitely would not work.

"I was talking to her today and she uh...she asked me to come visit her." I was staring down at my shoes. I sure hoped I didn't look like I was guilty or lying.

"I'll have someone come down right away and take you to her room...may I ask who is visiting?" She smiled sweetly. I was obviously not being perceived as the hateful witch I thought I was.

"My name is Isabella Arless." I stated, smiling just as warmly as she had. The woman looked down at a paper she had on her desk, looking puzzled. "What is it?" I asked. I tried to peek at what the paper said, but she was now holding it in her hands, so I couldn't catch what was written on it. As I stood there a man walked by, taking the list from her. He looked up at me, also looking puzzled.

"What is going on?" I asked, trying not to sound disrespectful.

The man pointed one pale finger at me, eyes fixed on the paper. He looked up at me with eyes an amber color. His perfect lips parted as he spoke for the first time.

"Isabella Arless! Night has chosen thee; thy death will be thy birth. Night calls to thee; hearken to Her sweet voice. Your destiny awaits you at the House of Night!"

My forehead felt as if it were going to explode. I gripped my head in my hand as I could almost feel my head splitting in half. I fell to my knees and squeezed my eyes shut, and my world went white.

When all the little white specks of light had erased from my vision, I looked up at the man who had spoken those frightening words. I knew what had happened. I had only heard those words once before.

The last time I'd seen Lyrissa. I had just ben Marked.

Well, hell, talk about irony! My eyes widened at the thought of being a vampyre.

There was nothing really wrong with them, the only reason I'd freaked over Lyrissa is because it meant we would be separated. This...this meant that Lyrissa and I could be together now. I wouldn't have to travel a gazillion hours to see her! I stood there smiling like a goof. I turned to the woman at the front desk.

"You chose the perfect time to come to us, Isabella. You were on our list. I'm sorry but you won't be able to see your friend yet, you'll have to speak with the High Priestess." Her response was a little giggly, and also a little shocked.

I thought this over again.

Had Lyrissa known I was to be Marked, or was this a really strange and awkward coincidence? I wondered about this on my way to the High Priestess's office. It was at the end of a long hallway, which was lit by special little lamps which I assumed were to keep from irritating the vampyres' eyes.

When we entered the room I nearly gasped at the High Priestess's beauty. She was around five and a half feet tall, with a perfect figure, which was greatly complimented by her beautiful black silk dress which hung down around her ankles. Around her neck was a gold chain on which a pair of gold wings hung. Her face was beautiful, almost elfish. She had high cheek bones and the bluest eyes I'd ever seen in my lifetime. Her skin was of a perfect complection. Her smile was dazzling, so much so that I felt I might become dizzy from it. As if to prove my theory, I began to sway.

"Are you alright, Isabella?" Her voice reminded me of wind chimes. The perfection of this woman was unreal.

"Yes, I'm fine..I think I'm just a little...woozy from the shock, is all." I said. Hey, it might be true, it was a pretty freaky thing to be a perfectly normal person visiting an old friend one minute to being a vampyre fledgling with only two choices left in life: complete the Change into a vampyre (or as other people will see it, a blood-sucking monster) or your body rejects the Change and I die...forever.


	3. What the Hell?

1I looked up into the High Priestess's perfect face.

"Your Marks are beautiful," I stated, without realizing that I'd even opened my mouth. I could feel myself blushing scarlet as she giggled a little, her long, blond hair moving with her shoulders as she giggled. Her hair was very long, now that I thought about it, and hung down just below her waist.

Her Marks were fantastic, better than any of the other vampyres' Marks I've seen here so far. It was a beautiful knot work made of what looked to me like stardust; little specks in the shape of intertwining strings. The specks must have been meant to be stardust because between all the loops which framed her face were intricate and beautifully crafted stars. The sapphire blue of her Marks framing her perfectly toned face added an aura of awe to her already mysterious beauty.

"Thank you, Isabella." She responded, smiling a smile which could have melt the sun. "And now we have some matters to attend to. You sure did arrive here quick all the way from New York." She said, apparently she didn't know about how I'd already been here, but she did know that I was JUST Marked and that my name was Isabella AND that I was from New York.

"Well actually, I was already here. I was visiting my friend, Lyrissa DeLuca, I hadn't seen her in about half a year and I decided to come and talk to her, and then I was speaking with the woman at the desk and then a man walked over and Marked me...so I'm not really prepared to be here..." I felt like I could pour my heart and soul to her. She was so kind natured, and I could almost feel her sincerity when she said,

"That's perfectly fine, dear. We can send for someone to get your things. For now, we've got a lot to do." She smiled that same dazzling smile at me. I felt perfectly fine now. I wasn't nervous, I wasn't scared. I felt so...welcome here. I belonged at this House, and I would be with Lyrissa now, and we could work things out and everything will be fine.

"Alright, first order of business, I'm sure you've heard a great deal about the House of Night, have you not?" She asked. I had. I'd heard plenty of things about vampyres and about their Houses.

"Yeah...I have." I responded.

"Perfect." She said, smiling, if possible, brighter. "Isabella Arless...What a pretty name. Now, Isabella, Once you've arrived here at the House of Night, you have begun your new life. And, at the beginning of each new life on this planet, you are given a name. What do you choose yours to be? It's up to you, Isabella" She asked me. Well hell, I loved my name. It was really cool that I had the opportunity to change it, but I loved it, and so I decided to keep it.

"Um...if it's alright, I'd like to keep my name in my new life." I said, wondering what was going through her head right now. Hoping I wouldn't have to come up with a new name.

"Of course it's alright, I told you, it's up to you." She giggled a little again, wind chimes blowing in the playful breeze. "The next order of business; Your mentor." I needed a mentor? Ah crap, I hoped I got a good one!

"Um...Priestess," I began, wondering what I was to call her.

"Oh! Sorry, Isabella. You may call me Aglaia" I smiled, I knew who Aglaia was. It was the Greek muth name of one of the three Graces. It meant beauty and splendor. It suited her.

"Aglaia, my mentor...how will that be decided? And what is a mentor exactly..." I felt like an idiot, but I really did want to know!

"Your mentor has already been decided on by me, and she will help you with anything you need and will serve as your guide here at the House of Night."

"Alright then...who is my mentor going to be?" I asked, hoping and praying that it was someone nice.

"She walked toward the back of her desk and looked at the computer screen. "The equestrian studies teacher, Professor Eris, has been chosen for you. I'll introduce you to her later on. Next order of business. Your room. We had decided on a room for you after you were Chosen to be Marked, however, you said you were here to visit a friend?"

I heard a whispering in my head. The words were muffled, and I couldn't undertsand them. More words drifted within my mind. I'd always been a curious child, and it was frustrating that I couldn't even understand my own thoughts. Maybe I was just hearing things.

No, I wasn't. Something told me I wasn't imagining this. A soft voice which I didn't recognize drifted into my mind.

_Focus, daughter._ The voice was motherly, and calm and sweet. I trusted whoever it was whispering in my ear.

_You are special, Isabella, you are special, daughter. Focus._

But what do I focus on? Focus on what?

A soft breeze came in through the open window, and my hair blew with the wind in the direction of Aglaia.

_Focus. Recognize your gifts_

It was a long shot, but I focused on Aglaia. I put her image into my mind and focused as hard as I could. I didn't knwo what I was waiting for, but I trusted the little voice in my head.

After a moment or two, I thought I might be going insane, listening to a strange voice in my head and focusing on nothing.

And then I fely a pang in my chest as I could nearly feel my soul being ripped from my body. I screamed in pain and fell to the floor.

And then my World went black.

When I could see again, I was staring down at my own lifeless body. I didn't appear to be breathing. Was I dead? What had happened to me? That is the LAST time I listen to the voice in my head. And then it hit me:

Where was Aglaia?


	4. affinities

1"Isabella? Are you all right? Isabella?" I heard Aglaia's voice, but I couldn't find her.

_Oh my Goddess, is she alright? She said she wasn't shocked anymore...she seemed fine! How could this have happened?_ The thoughts drifted through my mind, and I could tell they weren't my own. What was happening to me? Where was Aglaia? Where had she gone when I fainted, and why could I hear her still?

I was no longer in control of my actions, I felt my spirit moving closer toward my unmoving body.

My hands reached out to shake my shoulders and –

_These aren't my hands _I thought. I peered down at my body.

I was inside Aglaia's head.

I was hearing Aglaia's thoughts and seeing through her eyes. Well hell, why couldn't I have figured that out before? Man, I'm slow, I'll have to work on that.

Only one problem now: How the HELL do I get out of my High Priestess's head? I thought for a minute what I should do, and when nothing came to me, I silently prayed to Nyx for Aglaia to understand, and to help me with this...little problem.

While I remained inside Aglaia's head, I could feel her calming a bit. Thanking Nyx for sending my message along, I began to calm down as well.

_Isabella, _I could feel her smiling _You have been greatly gifted by the Goddess, Nyx._ _Now tell me, what did you do to trigger this?_ She asked

_I didn't mean to, Aglaia, I heard a whispering and I kinda sorta...focused on you and then...This happened._ This time I was directly focusing my thoughts to her.

I heard her giggling to herself.

_This isn't something to giggle at! I'm dead on the floor in your office while my soul is stuck inside your head, if someone were to walk in and see you giggling, do you have any clue how that would look?_ I laughed to myself. What if someone _did_ come in? _Help me get out of this, Aglaia, please!_ I silently pled to her to think of a way for me to get back into my own head.

_Try focusing on your own image. Picture yourself and concentrate. You can do it, Isabella. _She thought reassuringly. I pictured myself and focused hard.

I blinked my eyes and looked up into my High Priestess's flawless face. It had worked!

"You have, indeed, been gifted by the Goddess, Eris is lucky to have such a beloved child of Nyx to mentor." She said. She obviously didn't mind that I'd just intruded into the most personal of spaces – her mind – uninvited. "You will have to practice and work on your affinity with Eris, she'll be delighted to help you."

"Thank you," I said. "Now about my room..." I said, a little shyly

"Well, as I said before you...er...fainted, I had chosen a room for you, but you said you were here visiting a friend, yes? What is her name? I might be able to arrange it so that the two of you can be roommates." Her words made me so happy, but also a little frightened. What if Lyrissa didn't forgive me for what I'd done to her? What if she'd invited me over so she could have the satisfaction of throwing things at me?

Aglaia went back behind her desk and typed in something else to her computer. "Hm, it seems Lyrissa already has a roommate. In that case, you'll be taking the room originally chosen for you." This information was kind of sad, but it was also a good thing. At least now, if Rissa didn't forgive me, I wouldn't have to sleep in the same room with her every night, and at least when the fighting was over I could go into my own room and cry myself to sleep, and I wouldn't have to deal with the humiliation of it the next day.

"So...where will I be staying?" I asked, still trying to determine whether or not it was a good thing Lyrissa and I be separated.

"We've assigned you to room 213. I can have Eris come and speak to you now, if you like." She said. I was really excited to meet my new mentor. I loved horses, I really hoped she was nice.

* * *

I stood outside a polished oak door. On the door in gold letters were the words:

Room 213

Isabella Arless

Gee, I wonder where my room is. I looked at Eris, wondering what to do next.

"Oh right, sorry, Bella, Forgot the key." She smiled at me and reached into her pocket, pulling out a room key and handing it to me. "You'll find the walls plain white...standard color, sorry. You've got permission to re-do anything you like. Your things should have arrived already, and you can rearrange them in whatever way you want...you don't have a roommate yet...sorry...but you can do whatever you want for the night, I suggest some sleep. You're excused from tonight's lessons. Here's your schedule," She handed me a red envelope. "If you need anything call me! You start tomorrow...er...night. Sorry, it's kind of confusing. You get used to things around here, don't worry." She smiled at me and walked away, waving. I waved back and turned to the door.

Eris was really nice, and super cool. She didn't seem like a teacher, she was completely awesome. We were going to be working on controlling my affinity after classes every day at the stables. She said she wanted me to be able to completely control my abilities quickly, in case I should need them. I didn't know what that meant, but I figured she did, so I let her continue. She also said that she wanted me to test my abilities on her. Afterward, she said she wanted to test it's strength and its limits. She wanted to know if it would work on animals or trees or anything living, or only people. She was really creative and straightforward. I had a feeling she was going to be my favorite teacher here.

I opened the door and walked inside.


End file.
